Do you usually leave your guitar in standard tuning?

[kmckenna45]

I find that I usually leave my guitar tuned 2 frets down - allowing me to get to standard tuning with a capo.

Any thoughts on this? Any risk to the neck, etc?

I know 12 string players usually do this - but what about on a 6 string?

[reeve21]

I have done this once in a while on several guitars with no issues.

[619TF]

I leave mine in standard. If it was good enough in all that time for the factory, shipping and the store that sold it to me I figure it's fine to keep at the tension it was designed for.

[Coler]

Whatever I was playing in - usually standard or DADGAD.

The 12er is in standard 95% of the time. It's well built.

[turtlejimmy]

Originally Posted by kmckenna45

I find that I usually leave my guitar tuned 2 frets down - allowing me to get to standard tuning with a capo.

Any thoughts on this? Any risk to the neck, etc?

I know 12 string players usually do this - but what about on a 6 string?

I've never done that but I met a guy in Canada some years ago who always kept his guitar down two frets, capoed on the 2nd for regular tuning. He played most of Neil Young's repertoire, and never had to tune down for a song, if it called for it, he just moved the capo to the 1st, or took it off.

It worked beautifully for him. I'm not sure how his guitar liked it.



Turtle

[Bob from Brooklyn]

I have 1 or 2 tuned down 1/2 step. The others are in standard.

[gmel555]

Originally Posted by kmckenna45

.....guitar tuned 2 frets down.....Any risk to the neck, etc?

I don't know of any "risk" going to lower tuning, other than you might want a set-up to accommodate that lower tension, avoid string buzz, etc. If anything it might delay any future neck resets. I keep one guitar in Double Drop D and the others at standard.

[Bridgepin]

For years I tuned my guitar a half a step down never having any issues.

Oddly enough my voice has changed and I am now back to standard A440

[vcs700s]

Standard tuning- always.

[ewalling]

If the strings are too tight in standard, why not simply get a lighter gauge?

There's no dishonour in that!

[L20A]

Tuning down will not create issues to a guitar.
Tuning up may.

If you find your guitar is buzzing with a lower tuning, you may need to have it set up for the lower tension.
That would be the only issue with tuning down that I know of.

As I have gotten older, I have found that tuning down 1/2 step helps me vocally and also makes the guitar easier to fret.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by kmckenna45

I find that I usually leave my guitar tuned 2 frets down - allowing me to get to standard tuning with a capo.

If you're doing that to protect the neck, it's unnecessary. Guitars are built to withstand standard tuning. But if you're doing that for some other reason, no, it will not harm the neck but it could cause some string buzzing if the lesser tension on the strings doesn't pull the neck hard enough.

[Twin Six]

I tune to standard tuning, including my 12-string. Tuning lower sounds flabby to my ears. Also, tuning the 12-string down a full step seemed to cause issues with intonation.

[difalkner]

All of mine are in standard tuning including my Guild F-512 and that's where they stay. I have occasionally dropped tuning 1/2 step on my Gallagher to accompany someone singing but that's about it for different tunings for me.

[Methos1979]

Always tuned a half step down because that is what we perform in.